Not at all and I think you will find the greater majority of people around these parts agree with Souths. I mean come on, why fly a player around the world to play in a game like this with jetlag just for him to fly back out the day after. He will get a better run out in the NRL tbf.

I'm not denying the logistics of it are a pain in the ar$e but my point stands that if there was any will in the NRL to improve the international game, they would not block our attempts to get our best players together in order for them to play together as a cohesive unit.

Because certain Australians think it's the pinnacle of the game, and also because the ARL use it to lure players away from emerging nations. It does a lot of damage to the international game. I don't mind the matches themselves although they are massively overhyped too.

If the Ausies take this stance then I'd make any player who is withdrawn from the England squad, without good reason, unavailable for England selection for the remainder of the year.

That means Widdop, Burgess and Ellis could not play for England in this years four Ns.

I know Ellis at least would be mortified about not being able to play for England and I'd bet that Burgess would feel the same. Having to sit out the internationals because their clubs wouldn't release them won't go down too well and when Wests and Souths put new contracts in front of them they might just decide to sign for someone else.

I have no problem with players not wanting to travel all the way over here for a mid-season game, what I have a problem with is a club pressing the player to make that decision. If Burgess wants to get international caps under his belt then it should be his choice and not the clubs.

As for this doing the international game more harm than good, do you really think England thumping France/Wales/Ireland/Scotland/USA...etc is beneficial? Do the England team not need to be tested against some very good players already playing over here? There should be nothing stopping any of those nationalities getting into the Exciles squad if they want to play in it, just so happens that they are probably not good enough so won't get a chance.

England certainly need the toughest of tests before the end of year competition and in the build up to the World Cup so short of having a mid-season test against the Kiwi's or Australians this is the best and most competative way to prepare a young/new squad.

It's not an international, there will be no caps on offer. It is an exhibition game to give England a run out. I wouldn't release a player for it either. Having said that Widdop needs to get some time with the team as he is going to be our star halfback in years to come imo. He played well again in well beaten side at the weekend.

This thread pretty much sums up the attitude of Rugby League fans and why the game will always be confined to the M62. It's about time the fans started embracing new ideas and stopped bagging everything the RFL try to do. It is a different concept and something that will bring the game more exposure and interest.

Once upon a time a game like this would have been called a trial match and a few would have been play in the lead up to a tour . Sadly now with a selection procedure that says play for one of the top six played international before your in what is the point .

yep...its not a test match so souths and any NRL club are well within their right to hold on to the players...


anyhow...we don't need burgess or ellis...we know what they are capable off, they are the 1st 2 names on the england team sheet,their abilities are'nt in questions.....i'd lobby for widdop though

Personally i would much rather watch Yorkshire V Lancashire or England v Allstars/Exciles than playing france. Both other otions would be more competitive and do more than just thrashing france every June.

I would agree with that

Anyone else remember when Bradford were single handedly destroying RL for refusing to release NZ players?

"The trip home last year had a detrimental effect on Sam which he acknowledged. We agreed he would not go this year and he was part of that decision."

That reads to me like Burgess wouldn't have been released if it was a genuine international.

"It's not an international, it's an invented game, a trumped-up game."



So is State of Origin, Richo.

So Burgess, Ellis and Widdop should just walk in to the side at the end of the season without having the opportunity to impress the coaching staff of their international side? If international rugby is to flourish then the best players should be proud to be selected to play in that shirt no matter how far they have to travel to wear it.

I bet if it was a game against the Aussies being played in Dubai all three players would be more than keen to play in it.

Good thing it's not an international match then.

that may have happened...but when the NZRL finally complained..the players got released...

just like last year when souths CEO initially refused to release burgess...colin love rightly reminded them that under RLIF law any player called up to a international test has to be released...and sam was released..



and NZ coack kearney does'nt select ESL players for the anzac test these days cos the journey time renders the player ineffective...play fri/sat/sun,set off monday evening,arrive wednesday,play friday.....pointless

This being the main point.

I think it's extremely disrespectful of Shane Richardson to basically bag the game for no reason before it's even been played. The RFL are trying to sell a product and are trying to improve our international team, and Richardson has just sh*t all over it. All he had to say was something similar to the above, about how the travel, etc. would render him ineffective for both club and country.

i would'nt select burgess or ellis anyway...

i'd fight to get widdop over though...he still needs to prove himself imo

I wonder if Super League clubs will withdraw their overseas stars from playing this game too. Any injuries that may occur in this game would not go down well.

As I said in the other topic on this (They're Coming) I don't understand why any of the overseas players would want to be involved in this game. There is no national pride at stake because it's a made-up team. There are no caps to be won. Nothing. Just a run-out with a bunch of players you don't play with and nothing at stake.

Maybe if this became an annual charity game with some form of trophy at stake it could eventually become a worthwhile contest but right now, it seems like a waste of time to anyone who isn't English and I find it hard to believe it will be a success.

It should become a yearly thing IMO.

A sort of 'World club challenge/Ashes/ type thing'


England v the Southern Hemisphere.




Personally I'm looking forward to it.

God help anyone who comes up with an idea in this sport.

I'm looking forward to it. There is, of course, the risk that the Exiles team may not be motivated, but then that may not turn out to be an issue. Some of the former NRL players over here have given up on the opportunity to represent their country or state - the Exiles side will give some of them an opportunity to once again experience rep football that they just might relish. Let's just see if it works rather than shooting it down without giving it a chance.

And if the Exiles do turn up ready to play, the benefits for England will be massive. They will get a genuine test and probably a good roughing up as well, which is exactly what they need a bit more of. Kicking seven shades of shizer out of France or Wales once a year does neither England nor those teams any good at all.

I like the idea and look forward to watching the game. I favour it over another thrashing of France or Wales. However I can see why a club wouldn't want their expensive player to fly around the world for it mid season. Ellis and Burgess don't need to impress anyone, Englands strength isn't such that their places are under threat. As I said I would like to see Widdop play in it, but as a Melbourne fan i would rather he be turning out for the Storm.

I do not think the Exciles will struggle with motivation at all. They are all going to be more than up for trying to beat England. It is the England players that have all the pressure on them because if they can't beat what the Aussies will class as NRL rejects then they certainly won't have anything to concern themselves over come the end of the year!!

Players like Webb, Finch, Hoffman, Dobson, Mason, Puletua, Monaghan...etc are all more than capable of getting a result against the England team we sent out at the end of last season. So IMO this game will do the England side a lot of good because they will have to motivate themselves as if it were a real test, they will have some real competition and will want to make sure they do not suffer the embarrassment of losing when they know what kind of reaction the Aussies will come out with.

Good on the RFL and also the 'Exciles' for coming up with this idea. I hope the announcment will include who will coach the team and what the rules are for how many players from each club can be picked.

Good post.


People are saying Bluey McClennan will be coaching them.

I'd sooner see Maguire or Brown get the nod. I'm sure it could be fitted in around their usual coaching tasks as it's only one game.

How much coaching is going to be needed really? I would imagine they could all act as selectors like they have for the Aussies in the NRL.

I can't see this team having more than one or two training sessions together before this match and so will look a fair bit rusty but then the England team won't have many more than them.

Also will this game be played under International rules or the English rules with it not being a full international game???